Workers Force DPR to Promise to Reject Revisions
Thursday, 04 May, 2006 | 14:16 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Demonstrating by thousands of workers rejecting revisions to State Decree No.13/2003 on Manpower at the parliament complex yesterday turned into an uproar.

The police barricading the House of Representatives (DPR) building had to throw tear gas, while the workers managed to break down the gates.

Workers from Jakarta, Tangerang, and Bekasi had started arriving at the parliamentary complex at 9am.

Their aim was to force DPR members to promise to reject the revisions to the Decree on Manpower.

At around 11.30am, when the uproar was at its peak, DPR Deputy Chairman Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno and Commission for Manpower Chief Ribka Tjiptaning went out.

In a speech, Soetardjo and Ribka emphasized that the DPR relected the revisions.

But this did not satisfy the workers and they then tried to enter the complex by eventually breaking down the gates.

However, they were arrested by the police directly led by Metro Jaya Regional Police Chief, Inspector General Firman Gani.

At the same time, in the DPR building there was a meeting between the workers’ representatives and DPR leaders, represented by Soetardjo, Ribka Tjiptaning, DPR Deputy Chairman, Zaenal Ma'rif, and DPR Secretary General, Faisal Djamal.

In the meeting, the workers demanded DPR leaders make a written statement on DPR official paper rejecting the revisions.

“We asked for a statement on a DPR letterhead,” said Ahmad Supriyadi, Head of the Textile, Clothing, and Leather Trade Union of All-Indonesian Workers Union (SPSI).

However the DPR leaders refused because such a letter could only be made through a plenary meeting.

Faisal Djamal then offered a compromise.

The DPR would hold a leaders meeting to determine the plenary meeting schedule.

The workers refused this.

Then Metro Jaya Regional Police Stand-by Director, Chief Commissioner Budiarso entered announcing that the situation outside was getting more out of hand.

“Would you please calm your (workers) colleagues,” he said.

The workers leaders then went out, followed by Zaenal Ma'arif, to try and calm the demonstrators but were unsuccessful.

Finally, towards dusk, DPR surrendered and said it was willing to make a written statement signed by two DPR deputy chairmen, Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno and Zaenal Ma'arif.

The masses then dispersed and in the end, the police arrested 13 people.

From Amman, Jordan, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who is visiting Middle Eastern countries, said that he regretted the uproar.

“Demonstrations with violent acts creates a bad perception on us. Whenever there is a problem, it should be solved peacefully,” said the President.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla said he presumed some party took advantage of the workers’ demonstration.

SPSI Head, Sjukur Sarto said he was astonished that such an uproar occurred and stated it was all outside their scenario.

Muchamad Nafi, Yophiandi, Sunariah and Toriq Hadad